Kate Forsythe

Three strong, original books

August 4, 2017 by Karen Comer 6 Comments

I’ve been reading quite a few wonderful books lately so I thought I’d bundle a few together in a review. I have so many library books teetering in a pile on my bedside table that I’m worried I’ll be decapitated during the night!

I’ve reviewed an adult novel by a well-known Australian writer, a young adult novel by a US novelist and a debut children’s novel. All three books had strong female characters, with so much determination and courage.

Beauty in thorns by Kate Forsyth (adult historical fiction) – I am such a fan of Kate’s. She teaches a wonderful writing course in Sydney through the Australian Writers Centre on plotting, and her latest book is testament to her ability to weave together threads from a few stories and timelines. It’s set in the Pre-Raphaelite era and focuses on the lives of a few artists – Ned Burne-Jones, Dante Gabriel Rossetti and William Morris, and the women who loved them. The story focuses mainly on the women – and they were a talented, creative force as well. I didn’t enjoy this book as much as Kate’s previous books, perhaps because it felt that she was following the stories in a chronological manner, rather than crafting a story. But the characters are compelling, the settings evocative and Kate’s writing is as rich and descriptive as usual.

The girl from everywhere by Heidi Heilig (young adult fiction) – a friend recommended this book to me, and I’m glad she did. It’s about a sixteen-year-old girl called Nix Song, who is a Navigator on a pirate ship with the ability to follow maps into the margins, into different countries and different timelines. Led by her father the Captain, and supported by a crew of time refugees, she discovers her own abilities. She needs to, lest her father steer them into a time and place where Nix doesn’t exist. Because of the complex and sophisticated plot of time travelling, I know I’ll read this book again to figure out the connections between the different timeframes. (That’s a sign of a wonderful book, when the reader is planning to read it again after finishing the last page!) It’s a really unique book, that shows a different sort of protagonist to the usual YA ones concerned with school and parties and friendships. There’s also a sequel available now – The ship beyond time – I can’t wait to read it. Best for 14-16 year-olds, but absolutely fabulous for all adults.

How to Bee by Bren MacDribble (children’s novel) – this is set in a dystopian world, where nine-year-old Peony is desperate to become a ‘Bee’, someone who climbs the trees, waving a wand to collect the honey. She lives and works on a farm with her sister and grandfather. But trouble arrives in the form of Peony’s mother, who wants to take Peony away to a different life. Peony’s voice is strong and compelling and whisks readers away into her world where you just want everything to work out for her because she is such a hard worker and so determined to support her family. I loved this book – definitely one of the best children’s books I’ve read this year. And the cover is gorgeously striking! A fabulous read for 9-12 year-olds.

I’ve also spent a bit of time in the last fortnight reading some unpublished books. I’m part of a writer’s group and last weekend we met up as usual to discuss each other’s work. I absolutely believe in the writing from the other members – I’m sure I’ll be reviewing their published work one day – a crime novel, a middle-grade novel and a young adult book.

Any recommendations for me? I’m compiling a wishlist for National Bookshop Day on Saturday 12th August – I’ll definitely be visiting my local. Tell me what’s on your book wishlist!

The first ten pages

February 24, 2017 by Karen Comer 12 Comments

Yesterday I had coffee with my immensely good-natured friend, the writer Renee Mihulka, to discuss the first ten pages of our middle grade fiction books. We are both attending the KIDLIT festival in May at the Victorian state library, and have elected to submit the first ten pages of our books to a publisher for some feedback. We’ll receive written feedback in a fifteen minute session. Gold!

So, naturally, our ten pages have to be the most sparkling, eloquent, page-turning, engaging, meaningful, action-packed pages of our manuscript. And as publishers, editors and agents usually request the first section of a manuscript, it makes sense to work on our first ten pages. But do you know what the first ten pages of a book must do? Let me tell you – you will never think lightly of a first chapter again!

The beginning of a book must:

introduce the likeable yet vulnerable yet courageous protagonist whose need for the love of her life/a community to belong to/a meaningful life/a reunion with his estranged father must be subtly communicated
briefly ground the story in a setting yet not bore the reader with long nineteenth-century-like scenic descriptions
set up the opposing force or antagonist – the boss’ wife or the destructive avalanche or the jealous sister or the dragon in the cave
start in the middle of the action – no lengthy explanations of the history of the protagonist’s family, please
have a killer opening sentence to hook readers – It was the best of times, it was the worst of times from Charles Dickens. Or perhaps – Ava fell in love the night the Nazis first showed their true faces to the world (‘The beast’s garden’ by Kate Forsyth. Or how about – I don’t know how I died (‘In the quiet’ by Eliza Henry Jones. Or – On the day of the miracle, Isabel was kneeling at the cliff’s edge, tending the small, newly made driftwood cross (‘The light between oceans’ by M. L. Stedman).

Hooked by Les Edgerton and Writing the heart of your story by C.S. Lakin contain lots of relevant, helpful information to help writers begin well.

Renee and I dissected each other’s work, cutting the dross, ticking our checklists, questioning every word and whether it had earned its place in the first ten pages. Renee pointed out that I like to say the same thing, in the same paragraph, in three slightly different ways. (But I have to make sure my readers really understand my point! I mean, they have to understand it! Let me check they’ve really understood it!) I tried to argue my way into keeping one fragment of a sentence because I wrote it with Mr 13 in mind. But my readers won’t care about Mr 13, and the fragment wasn’t consistent with how my protagonist speaks. Deleted – you were right, Renee.

I have been flicking through my books, both adult and children’s, rereading the first chapter. I loved The light between oceans, The beast’s garden, When you reach me by Rebecca Stead. It’s hard to stop immersing myself in the story and be analytical instead, but when I realise I’ve escaped into a story, that’s when I know I need to analyse it because it’s that good.

Which books have you read which had you hooked at the first chapter? I’d be grateful for some more books to add to my research pile.

My week in books

February 10, 2017 by Karen Comer 14 Comments

How many books have you read, skimmed, touched, discussed, borrowed or bought this week? I decided I would tally up mine!

Read

The secret scriptures by Sebastian Barry – this was my bookclub book and and it was my turn to host. Half of our bookclub had read it, half had started it. We all agreed it was a very slow start. It’s a dual narrative with both sections written in first person. Roseanne is a one-hundred-year-old woman who has been a patient at a mental hospital in Ireland for many, many years. Dr Grene is her psychiatrist. I enjoyed Roseanne’s story more because she was the more interesting character with a strong voice. When I read Dr Grene’s sections, I had to remind myself that his story was current – his tone was quite formal for a contemporary voice.
Becoming a writer by Dorothea Brande – this book was published in the 1930s, but is still relevant today, despite the 1930s tone. I reread this book because the writer discusses the two personalities of the author – the rational or conscious side and the dreamy or unconscious part. I’m interested in this at the moment because I’m trying to balance writing a logical outline for my book so I can see where the problems lie, as well as use my subconscious to solve the problems. Wish me luck!
When the teddy bears came by Martin Waddell – this is a gorgeous picture book which is a perfect present for a toddler about to become a big sister or brother. I put all my kids’ much-loved soft toys in the washing machine yesterday – 34 degrees! – and hung them on the line to dry by their ears or tails. They looked both bedraggled and comical, and the lines of teddies and penguins and dogs reminded me of Waddell’s book, with its collection of teddy bears.
The last painting of Sara de Vos by Dominic Smith – I have only started this book but am really enjoying it so far.

Skimmed

Jerusalem by Yotam Ottolenghi – I’m doing a cooking class next weekend with a friend, based on Ottolenghi’s recipes. I didn’t know much about him at all so I borrowed my friend’s cookbooks. We are having caramelised fennel and roasted eggplant with lamb mince for dinner this week – yum!
Information is beautiful by David McCandless – my kind brother gave me this book – I did cook him a decent dinner and agreed to be interviewed for his business! Its pages show different ways to present information, trends and statistics from different types of fish, carbon usage and the connection between facial hair and the number of people one has killed! It’s a visually stunning book – would be an asset to any marketing department. I have only flicked through it but can already see how I’ll use it as a resource for inspiration, marketing and storytelling.

Touched

One by Sarah Crossan – my friend Tess, a remarkable young woman, is going to start a bookclub with some university friends and wanted some recommendations for books on feminism, female empowerment and gender roles. So this section is for Tess, as I went through my bookshelves for options for her. One is a young adult fiction book about conjoined twins – definitely empowering.
The poisonwood bible by Barbara Kingsolver – four sisters who leave the US with their parents to live in the Congo. Different directions, different choices by the sisters in this novel.
All that I am by Anna Funder – set in Germany during the Second World War, this is a fictional account of two female cousins who work against Hitler. Chilling.
Speaking out and The fictional woman by Tara Moss – two non-fiction books by an Australian model, author and activist. Powerful reading.
The wife drought by Annabel Crabbe – this book covers the same old ground about the division of duties at work and home between men and women. A fiery read.
Motherhood and creativity, the divided heart by Rachel Power – a series of interviews with creative women who are also mothers. While the emphasis is on creative careers, many of the stories can also be applied to the business world.

Discussed

The beast’s garden by Kate Forsyth – I lent my copy to one of the lovely baristas at my local cafe because she is an avid reader. She’s just started it, so I’m looking forward to hearing what she thinks of it when she’s read a little bit more.
Zen habits by Leo Babuto – I also lent my copy of this book to another lovely barista at the same cafe because he wanted to stop procrastinating and this book has fabulous tips for creating habits to do the things that you want to do but just can’t. However, he has been procrastinating reading it so we haven’t had any conversations about it yet!

Browsed

Big magic by Elizabeth Gilbert – I love this book, and pulled it out to flip through because I wanted some tips and tricks on how to be more creative. Will probably end up reading this one cover to cover again.
Zakka compiled by Rashida Coleman-Hale – Miss 10 and I are on a sewing project roll at the moment – we made lavender sachets in the holidays. I have found a little project in this book we could sew. Now to choose the fabric from my stash – blue flowers or blue butterflies?

Borrowed

Goodbye stranger by Rebecca Stead – my friend Renee suggested I read this as apparently Stead’s style and subject matter is similar to what I’m working on with my book. Just borrowed it yesterday from the library so I’m looking forward to a good middle-grade fiction read.
Anansi boys by Neil Gaiman – because he’s Neil Gaiman and this book happened to be lying by itself on the library shelf. Need I say more?
Fabric pictures by Janet Bolton – love a beautifully photographed craft book and the cover had me at hello!

Bought

Zero! I have a Christmas book voucher which is begging to be spent but I am trying to hold off for a little while longer.

I hope you have had an equally bookish week with fiction, non-fiction, cookbooks, children’s fiction – let me know about your week in books, please.

Christmas shopping/summer reading – adult fiction

December 9, 2016 by Karen Comer 17 Comments

Whether you are looking for books for gifts or for your own holiday reading, I have a list for you! I also have a giveaway – I have an extra copy of Hannah Kent’s The good people and would love to give it to a loyal blog reader! Please leave a comment to tell me about the best book you read this year and subscribe to my blog if you haven’t already done so. All comments will go into a draw to win this book.

The good people by Hannah Kent – I loved Hannah Kent’s first book, Burial Rites, so I couldn’t wait to read her second one when it came out only a month or so ago. This time, the story is set in Ireland, in 1825 and follows the story of three women. There’s Nora who loses her beloved husband in the first chapter and is responsible for caring for her grandson, Micheal. She can’t cope with Micheal’s ‘differentness’ so she employs Mary, a fourteen-year-old girl to look after him while she works. The third woman is Nance, a strong presence throughout the book, and her link to ‘the good people’ or fairies is both a curse and a blessing to her. I felt absorbed in this Irish world – Hannah Kent’s skill lies in creating authentic settings.

The dry by Jane Harper – if you’re the sort of person who likes to say, ‘Oh, yes, I’d like to see that movie – I read the book YEARS ago,’ then perhaps you should read this book now! Jane Harper is a UK-born, Australian-based journalist/novelist and The dry is her debut novel. It’s set in a small Australian rural town and follows two murder stories, set twenty years apart. The thread in the present is about Aaron Falk, a city-based detective who goes back to his home town for the funeral of his childhood friend, Luke, his wife, Karen, and one of their two children. As Aaron uncovers some discrepancies in this case, he is forced to confront his memories about the death of his friend, Ellie, who supposedly drowned twenty years ago. I really cared about these characters – I wanted to find out whodunit but I wanted to know why the characters behaved the way they did and what their tangled relationships meant. A fabulous summer read for everyone. I’ll be there on the opening night of the film!

The course of love by Alain de Botton – this one should be mandatory reading for every married couple. My husband read it and enjoyed it – even though it’s not the type of book he would choose to read. It’s a blend of a fictional story about Rabih and Kirsten, how they met, courted, married, had kids and how one of them had an affair, interwined with philosophical musings on the nature of marriage, human behaviour, female and male tendencies in thinking and behaving. My friend P and I had a shouted discussion about this during our kids’ school disco – it was worth shouting about! This is not an easy read, but it’s an entertaining one and perfect for the discerning, thoughtful reader who would like a slow, reflective read over the holidays. I wrote a longer review here.

A kiss from Mr Fitzgerald by Natasha Lester – transport yourself to 1920s New York, where Evie has given up her fashionable, comfortable life with a potential marriage to a reputable, wealthy young man, in order to follow her dream to become an obstetrician. Evie is a likeable, engaging character and the setting of New York, plus fashion, glamorous parties, a speakeasy makes this book a light page-turner – perfect for summer reading or anyone’s Christmas stocking. You can read my interview with Natasha here.

The paper house by Anna Spargo-Ryan – this is another debut novel. This one brought me to tears, as it follows the journey of Heather, a young married woman who lost her baby at almost full-term. It’s a quiet, reflective story about the spiral of grief for Heather and her family. It doesn’t sound like a wonderful, joyful Christmas present but it’s a beautifully written book that took my breath away with wonderful language and the depth of emotion. I know Anna is writing a second novel, and I’m looking forward to reading it when it’s published.

Be Frank with me by Julia Claiborne Johnson – this is an engaging, original book – one of my favourite reads for the year because of the engaging, original characters. Mimi is a reclusive writer, living in a mansion in Bel Air with her nine-year-old son, Frank. Alice is a publisher’s young assistant, sent to help Mimi with anything and everything, in order for Mimi to finish her new manuscript. Frank is an unforgettable, quirky character – an adult head on a kid’s shoulders, obsessed with old movies, and has two rules – don’t touch me, don’t touch my things. Wish this would be made into a movie. A wonderful read for all bookworms. There’s a longer review here.

The beast’s garden by Kate Forsythe – I have read nearly all of Kate’s books because she manages to build a tightly structured plot with every single thread beautifully woven together which sits invisibly behind an array of interesting, complex characters with deep desires and hidden secrets. She is an amazing storyteller and wordsmith, and I learnt a lot from her in the Sydney workshop I attended earlier this year. The beast’s garden is about Ava, a young German woman, living in Berlin through World War II. Ava is sympathetic to the Jews and helps many of them, even though the man she loves is one of Hitler’s men. This book weaves love, history, politics, betrayal, family in a book which is full of tension. I blame Kate for a late dinner one night – I could not put this book down at 6.30 in the evening because I HAD to finish it. She told me that was a lovely compliment – I told her I had hungry kids! A fabulous read for anyone who loves a page-turning, historical love story.

All the light we cannot see by Anthony Doerr – this was one of my favourite books I read this year. I passed it on to my husband to read, and he enjoyed it so much that he bought a few copies to give as gifts. It’s a dual narrative, set in World War II, and follows Marie-Laure, a blind French girl living in Paris, and Werner, a orphaned German boy, who has a skill with radios. The book jumps around a bit in time, so it does require a little work from the reader. Because you have a sense that the characters will eventually meet up, the fragments of Marie-Laure and Werner’s stories have a feeling of urgency, even though the writing is beautiful and evocative rather than fast-paced. The characters were wonderfully depicted, so you felt such empathy for both of them, even though they were on opposing sides of the war. Doerr writes lyrically and creates a sensory-rich world. If you call yourself a reader, please read this book!

Bel Canto by Ann Pattchet – this book is truly a marvel. It’s the story of Latin terrorists who hold a large group of people hostage for a few months. Both hostages and terrorists have to forge new relationships and ways of living, and the two different groups blend and separate, blend and separate. The characters are wonderful – an opera singer, her greatest fan – a Japanese man, the Vice-President whose house is overtaken, a translator. Even the terrorists are described as individuals. I’ve read a few of Ann Pattchet’s books, and this one is my favourite.

The birdman’s wife by Melissa Ashley – I chose this book by its cover – simple, elegant and evocative. It’s a novel but it’s based on the life of Elizabeth Gould, an artist who was overshadowed by her husband’s career. I’ve only just started this book, but I’m enjoying the mix of art, birds and life in 1820s London.

I hope you find something for yourself or your friends and family on this list. Please leave a comment about the best book you read this year and subscribe to my blog (if you haven’t already) to go into the draw to win a copy of The good people by Hannah Kent. The winner will be drawn on Friday 16th December at midday, and I’ll post the book out before Christmas.

Happy reading and Christmas shopping!

Kate Forsyth – plotting a novel

March 8, 2016 by Karen Comer 18 Comments

My current definition of intense – spending a day with Kate Forsyth while she teaches the finer points of plotting a novel. I flew to Sydney (blue skies, warm weather, gorgeous friends) for the weekend to do a writing course at the Australian Writers’ Centre. Kate was equal parts inspiration and practicality – I finished the day feeling like I had new tools for my writing and was inspired to try this new way of planning a novel.

I have completed many writing courses over the past five years but never one on planning or plotting a novel before. I have always been a got-a-vague-idea-let’s-see-where-this-goes kind of writer. And it never felt quite right but when I did try to plan out a novel I became stuck, and would just write it out, rather than plan it out. And I wondered whether I was really procrastinating by writing lists and moving scenes around … surely that wasn’t moving my story forward?

It also seemed at odds with the way I usually organise myself in life – I am a write a list kind of girl – for groceries, daily tasks, Christmas presents, etc.

I read a fantastic book on planning a book – C.S. Lakin’s The twelve key pillars of novel construction but it has taken Kate’s workshop to really understand the benefits of planning.

For a little while, I have been wondering about the connection for writers between the left and right sides of the brain, the analytical and the intuitive sides. When Kate defined the four stages of writing as daydreaming, plotting, writing and editing, I could see that both sides of the brain are equally important for writing. Obviously, you need intuition for daydreaming, and analysis for plotting and editing. I would have thought that writing relies more on intuition but Kate said that analysis is just as important because you need to make decisions on what you are writing.

There were so many other lightbulb moments:

that writing a novel is like doing a jigsaw – you start with the foundations – the corners, the edges
that all the incidents in a plot must be inextricably bound
that the pacing must quicken with shorter chapters, even shorter sentences, towards the end of the book
that planning a book is like following a recipe – you can adjust it once you have followed the recipe a few times
that if you are stuck, it means you don’t know enough about your characters or your story.

Kate gave us a ten point detailed explanation of her process for planning a book. I am going to use this on the first draft of my NaNoWriMo book – even though I have already written the first draft. There are only three weeks until the Easter school holidays but I want to apply Kate’s process in reverse before I start the second draft.

And Kate did tell us that it was ok to change your plan and that she did so frequently!

So I’m making up my mind to be an organised, planned writer, just like I am organised and planned (somewhat!) in the rest of my life. Are you a planning sort of person for most of your life’s details or just some of them? And if you are a creative type, with a flair for cooking or sketching or sewing or writing, are you organised or a free spirit with your art?

March writing

March 1, 2016 by Karen Comer 8 Comments

It may seem as if I’m justifying my time here – but I worked really hard in February! I worked on the last draft of the first children’s book in my series this month. I’m nearly ready to send it off by the end of the week to a publisher’s competition. I feel as if I have another daughter, twelve-year-old Freya, the protagonist of my story. I am spending so much time in her head at the moment. I am always asking – what would Freya do here? Would Freya be friends with that girl? How would Freya walk if she were sad? What is the first thing Freya would do when she came home from school? I’ll probably be setting a plate and cutlery for her at the table tonight!

I also entered a short story into a competition, and I have an idea for another short story. I don’t want to spend too much time on it but it is haunting me, so I need to put some of it down on paper.

I’m going to a writing workshop in Sydney next weekend. The presenter is Kate Forsythe, author of so many wonderful books I can only type in a few – Wild girl, The beast’s garden, Bitter greens and many, many books for children. The workshop is about plotting and planning a novel. Authors are usually either a plotter (plans everything first, then writes) or a pantser (writes by the seat of their pants, has a rough idea and starts writing). Allison Tait and Valerie Khoo, who host the Australian Writers’ Centre podcast ‘So you want to be a writer?’, usually ask their guest authors whether they are a plotter or pantser. So interesting to hear the many and varied ways authors write their books. Of course, it is a sliding scale, and I sit closer to the pantser side. I start with a bit of a plan and write from there but I am someone who needs to write many, many drafts. I’m hoping to try out Kate’s detailed planning with my next novel, to see if it cuts down on the number of drafts. I am a pretty organised sort of person for my non-writing life, so I want to carry that across into my writing – that seems logical, doesn’t it? It’s worth a shot anyway – maybe I’ll convert to the planning style of writing or I might come back from Sydney feeling too constrained by all the details and go back to my old pantser ways.

And I also want to redraft the second book of my children’s series, which I wrote in November for NaNoWriMo. It has been sitting patiently on my computer, waiting for me to see it with fresh eyes. Second drafts are fabulous, because I know that the first draft is so terrible that anything I do to it will improve it enormously! And because it’s still big picture stage, there’s no pressure to make it perfect. So I’m looking forward to seeing the world through my twelve-year-old street artist’s eyes.

Thank you so much to everyone who reads my posts and comments. I love having conversations about books online – and in ‘real’ life. I would be grateful if you would forward on my posts to your bookclub group, or friends/family who like reading, or want to find some great books for their kids. Thank you!

98 and counting …

December 29, 2015 by Karen Comer 9 Comments

This year I have kept a tally of the books I have read. With three days to go until the end of the year, I am up to number 98, and I have every intention of reading my way to 100 books by midnight 2015. Silly isn’t it, to think that 100 books is somewhat better than 98?

At the Sydney Writers’ Festival this year, Anne Buist – who writes under the pen name Simone Sinna and who is married to Graeme Simsion, author of The Rosie Project – told an audience of 500 that she usually read about 200 books a year. There was a collective gasp, then silence as we all took in this amazing accomplishment.

I do read a lot of children’s fiction, and some of those books are reasonably slim. It always takes me longer to read non-fiction as I need to focus more to understand the content rather than enjoy a story.

I’m grateful to all my friends and family who give or lend me books. Big thanks to the family members on both sides who gave me wonderful books for Christmas – thanks C and SP!

Below is a list of my favourite adult fiction books I’ve read this year. I’ve added a link if I’ve reviewed the book earlier and I’ve tried to give a mini book review here in a couple of words because it’s holidays and I’m feeling a little lazy!

Burial rites by Hannah Kent – gripping, original – account of the last woman hanged in Iceland in 1829.

In the quiet by Eliza Henry Jones – heartbreaking, evocative – a family in grief after their mother and wife dies, narrated by the dead woman who is able to observe her family.

The natural way of things by Charlotte Wood – stirring, original, unsettling, horrifying – ten woman are imprisoned in the middle of nowhere for past sexual experiences.

Goldfinch by Donna Tartt – detailed, gripping, sad, 800 pages long – the story of a thirteen year-old boy who is caught up in a horrible event which is the catalyst for the next decade or so of his life.

The invention of wings by Sue Monk Kidd – compelling, detailed – account of a southern American family caught up in slavery riots and changes.

Big little lies by Liane Moriarty – hilarious, perceptive, page-turning – story of three women with children at the same primary school, with themes of bullying, domestic violence, friendship.

The eye of the sheep by Sofie Laguna – sad, beautiful – told through the eyes of a small boy – themes of family violence and family love.

The beast’s garden by Kate Forsythe – gripping, horrifying, page-turning, evocative – set in Berlin during WWII, a love story.

Mothers Grimm by Danielle Wood – original, thought-provoking, perceptive – four ‘long’ short stories with a modern take on fairy tales, centred around the idea of the ‘good’ mother.

The women’s pages by Debra Adelaide – interesting, detailed, quiet – a story within a story, focuses on details of women’s lives in different generations.

After rereading my list, I’ve noticed that most of my favourite books are on the serious side. There’s the horror of war, imprisonment, children’s fears, death, grief. I would read all of these books again – for the story and for appreciating the writing craft. I love a page-turning book, where I care about the characters so much that I want to find out what happens to them. I am probably – definitely – guilty of cooking a late dinner for my kids or staying up way past my bedtime, thanks to the wonder of these books!

Perhaps there might be a book here which would make perfect summer reading for you or perhaps you have read some of these books, too? Let me know in the comments if you have a favourite book for 2015 that I could read for 2016.

Buying Christmas book series for kids

December 8, 2015 by Karen Comer 8 Comments

There’s something special about buying a book series, about seeing all the matching spines lined up together on your bookshelf. Lots of kids are collectors, so collecting, let alone reading, the whole set of books can feel like a mighty achievement.

I’ve listed some of my favourite kids’ book series, for kids aged six to twelve. Later in the week, I’ll post my favourite stand-alone titles for kids. I hope this helps you with your Christmas shopping!

Some of my favourite bookshops – where the staff are knowledgeable and helpful – include Readings, Tim’s Bookshop and The Little Bookroom. I also buy books online from Booktopia, an Australian online store, as well as Readings. You can order in-stock books from Booktopia and Readings in time for a Christmas delivery by Friday 11 December. Of course, these bookshops will also have their own bestseller lists which can be a great starting point for your Christmas shopping.

If you’re not sure whether your child will like a particular series, you could buy the first one and include a bookshop voucher. That way, your child has the option to choose the remaining books in the series or choose another book if they weren’t interested in the series. You could also borrow the first book from the library, and then gauge how your child responds to it. (My lovely Mum did this for me with the Billabong books, when I was ten or eleven. I was so surprised when I received the entire set for my birthday, a month after I had read the first book from the library!) If you do buy the whole series, you have endless options for presenting them. You could set the whole series out on a bookshelf, you could wrap and number each book separately, hide them around the house for a literary treasure hunt, buy one for every special occasion throughout the year …

In no particular order, here’s a list of ten wonderful book series for kids:

The Ranger’s Apprentice by John Flanagan – there are 12 books in this series – that’s reading gold for an obsessive reader! Here’s my review from a month ago. We gave them to Mr 11 for his 11th birthday, and he devoured them. Miss 9 is reading the second one now. Last week, she and Mr 6 dressed up as Rangers with cloaks and tied string around some sticks to make bows. I would suggest that they are more for boys than girls, but the second book brings in a couple of strong female characters so I think they would be fabulous for girls as well. I’m glad Miss 9 is reading widely about wonderful male characters. There is lots of action, so reluctant readers would be enticed. Obsessive readers would love the thrill of reading the whole series. Great for 9-12 year-olds.

Truly Tan by Jen Storer – so far there are five books in this series. I spoke with Jen Storer at a bookshop a couple of weeks ago and she told us that there is another book coming out in May 2016. Tan is a detective type of girl, who writes in a diary and likes to write definitions. Great for 8-11 year-olds, maybe bookish seven-year-olds would love them, too.

Impossible Quest by Kate Forsythe – there are five books – you can buy them separately or in a beautiful slipcase. Such a wonderful fantasy quest theme. Great for girls and boys as there are four child protagonists – two girls and two boys. Mr 11 and Miss 9 have read them – great for 9-12 year-olds. Kate Forsythe is an amazing story-teller – her adult and children’s books are all page-turners.

Tom Gates by L. Pichon – these are similar to the Wimpy Kids books as they have cartoon illustrations with a graffiti bent. Mr 11 devoured these at age nine, and the illustrations really influenced his drawing style for a few years. Great for reluctant and obsessive readers alike. Probably more for boys than girls. There are ten books. Great for 8-11 year-olds.

Princess Betony by Pamela Freeman – these books look beautiful. They have that special keepsake quality about them – gorgeous covers, ribbon bookmark, dust jacket, petite size. There are three books about Princess Betony, the daughter of a king and a dryad. Princess Betony, a pants-wearing sort of princess, has been accepted as part of the Wild Magic, and many adventures follow. The stories are lovely, and I suspect reluctant readers would be tempted to try hard to read these gorgeous-looking books while obsessive readers would appreciate the well-developed characters and interesting storylines. Great for girls aged 7-10. Younger girls may appreciate these books being read to them. While I would never discourage readers of any gender to avoid a particular book, I must admit, these books really are for girls.

The Kingdom of Silk by Glenda Millard – this series is filled with the most beautiful family you could ever imagine. I wish I had read this as a kid – it would have filled me up with creativity and magic and gentleness. It is such a gentle and quiet series, with many beautiful life celebrations and sad moments. There is death and aging and weddings and finding love and making cakes and singing songs and painting and ignoring school rules and finding creative solutions and illnesses and friendships – the gamut of life. Miss 9 read nearly all of these books when she was eight. I might start reading them to Mr 6 over the holidays – he may/may not be quite ready for them. Each book is quite slim, so it would be a nice challenge for a reluctant reader to tackle. This would be a beautiful experience to read these books with your kids. Great for boys and girls, maybe leaning more towards girls because the books are so soft and gentle. Not that boys shouldn’t read soft and gentle books! Great for 7-10 year-olds.

The Mapmaker Chronicles by A.L Tait – I’ve blogged about this fabulous series here when I interviewed the author. Enough said. Adventure, fast pace, page-turning. This series includes more boys, but there is a strong girl character. Great for boys and girls, leaning towards boys. Great for 9-12 year-olds.

Sporty kids by Felice Arena – there are currently six books out in this new series. A bookseller recommended this to me for Mr 6, who sometimes thinks that he is too big to read picture books and wants to read chapter books to keep up with his older siblings. Each book can be read independently, so there is no particular order. Each book has four chapters, pictures and a large font. Mr 6 can almost read them by himself. This type of book is a winner – your child can enjoy you reading them to him, but will also be capable of reading them himself a little way down the track. There’s a great mix of genders across different types of sport. This series would work well for advanced 4-5 year-old readers and would equally work well for reluctant readers, aged 6-7. Great for girls and boys, great for 6-8 year-olds.

Violet Mackerel by Anna Bradford – another gorgeous series with beautiful hardback covers. Violet is a thoughtful, creative girl who deals with her mother’s wedding, making friends at a hospital and many other small and large adventures. Heart-warming, gentle stories. There is also a Violet Mackerel craft book. Miss 9 and I have made a few things from it. This series is definitely for girls, especially lovely for crafty, creative girls, great for 7-10 year-olds.

The Keepers by Lian Tanner – I haven’t read this trilogy but Mr 11 has and recommended it. He read it about two years ago. The back cover of the first book describes the series as ‘a thrilling tale of action and adventure’, and the website looks fabulous with lots of information and quizzes. Great for girls and boys, ages 9-12.

I hope this gives you a few ideas for Christmas! Let me know in the comments if you decide to buy any of these suggestions for Christmas or if you can recommend other children’s series. Next post will offer stand-alone book ideas, and then I’ll write a post for adult fiction suggestions. Happy shopping!

The beast’s garden

September 25, 2015 by Karen Comer 2 Comments

The beast’s garden
Kate Forsythe
Vintage Books
2015

The story: Ava is a young German, living in Berlin during the Second World War. She is deeply concerned about her closest friends, who are Jews, and does what she can to look after them. She marries a Nazi officer, Leo, in order to save her father. Ava abhors everything Leo supposedly stands for, but falls deeply in love with him at the same time. As Ava does what she can to support an underground resistance movement, she gradually discovers that Leo is not as he seems – he is doing his part to stop Hitler. Their lives, along with their friends and family, descend into madness and chaos, as the war progresses. Ava uses all her courage and intellect to help Leo out of the brutality of war.

The highlights: ‘Ava fell in love the night the Nazis first showed their true faces to the world.’ Fabulous opening sentence! This book is about Ava’s personal story juxtaposed with World War II, and the first sentence captures all of that.

The horrors of the concentration camps, where Ava’s friend Rupert spent most of the war, are detailed with bleak, horrifying imagery. I dreamt one night of concentration camps in the middle of reading The beast’s garden. I’m not sure whether concentration camps and constant references to homeless and hungry Germans are a highlight but Kate Forsythe is such a wonderful storyteller that the painful details are a necessary part of the World War II imagery. I only studied World War history from an Australian perspective at school, and then through Jewish history at university. To see German history through the eyes of those against Hitler is a unique vantage point.

‘… the newly arrived prisoners looked around. Long rows of wooden huts. High concrete walls. Coils of barbed wire. Machine-gunners in watchtowers. Endless rows of hollow-eyed prisoners in striped uniforms. And by the wall, a heap of dead naked men, stiff as driftwood, stacked in a neat pile, head to feet like sardines.’

All of the characters are strong, and many of them show the difficulty in being caught between standing up for their country and standing against their country’s leader. Anger and passion in equal doses.

‘Ava had to deflect their suspicions somehow. She tried to imagine she was a good Nazi wife. She’d be overawed to be here at Goebbels’ private residence, and dazzled by all the uniforms and medals. She’d be ambitious for her husband, and disappointed that he had lost his job at the Abwehr. She’d worship the Führer and believe all the propoganda that said Germany was winning the war. She’d want a piece of the glory and the booty.’

Kate Forsythe uses the Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale The singing, springing lark, which is the original story of Beauty and the beast. Ava is Beauty – but she has the lark’s voice as she studies singing at the conservatory. And without giving the ending away, it is Ava who does the rescuing in the end, just like Beauty who follows the lark to rescue it. You don’t need to know ‘The singing, springing lark’ to appreciate this book but it’s an interesting way to understand the structure.

I have to admit, I kept sneaking away from the kids after school to read half a chapter here and there. I did the same thing with Kate Forsythe’s Wild Girl and Bitter Greens – they were just so good!

Have you read The beast’s garden or any of Kate Forsythe’s other books?